Such a muffler usually comprises a housing, which has at least one exhaust gas inlet and at least one exhaust gas outlet, which are fluidically connected with one another in the interior of the housing, which is enclosed by the housing. At its axial ends, the usually cylindrical housing has an end panel each, which axially limit the housing interior. Further, a jacket, which extends circularly in the circumferential direction and limits the housing interior radially, is provided. Further, at least one chamber, through which exhaust gas flows during the operation of the exhaust system and which is limited axially by an intermediate panel each at its axial ends, may be formed in the housing interior, said intermediate panel being located at an axially spaced location from the two end panels. Such a chamber may be, for example, a reflection chamber, in which disturbing noises can be muffled by reflection effects in a predetermined frequency range. The terms “axial,” “radial” and “circumferential direction” refer to a central longitudinal axis of the housing.
Mufflers may be designed in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine as front mufflers or as middle mufflers or as end mufflers. An end muffler is usually followed directly on the outlet side by a so-called tail pipe of the exhaust system. In vehicle applications, the tail pipe is usually located at the rear of the vehicle. Further, it may be practical for reasons of installation space to arrange such an end muffler transversely at the rear of the vehicle, i.e., such that its central longitudinal axis extends essentially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Installation situations in which there is only a relatively short distance between the housing of the muffler and heat-sensitive components of the vehicle may occur now. It was found in this connection that a large amount of heat is radiated from the jacket especially in the area of chambers through which exhaust gas flows, which may lead to damage to the heat-sensitive components located in the area surrounding the housing. Further, it was observed that a discoloration of the housing may develop preferably in the area of a support of the intermediate panels at the jacket. However, such a discoloration of the housing is undesired especially in case of a housing arranged in a visible manner. To avoid such a heat radiation into the area surrounding the muffler as well as to reduce the risk of a discoloration of the housing, it is possible, in principle, to design the jacket as a double-walled jacket, so that a cavity, which may be filled with a suitable heat-insulating insulating material, develops between an inner wall and an outer wall of the jacket. However, it is relatively expensive to equip the housing with such a heat-insulating, double-walled jacket.